Colds: senseless and dangerous folk remedies
Almost all seasonal epidemics are popularly called by a simple word - a cold. Doctors do not use such a term, preferring to divide diseases depending on the source of the problem and the severity of the disease. The only similarity in the opinions of doctors and ordinary people is that such ailments arise due to hypothermia or
Almost all seasonal epidemics are popularly called by a simple word - a cold. Doctors do not use such a term, preferring to divide diseases depending on the source of the problem and the severity of the disease. The only similarity in the opinions of doctors and ordinary people is that such ailments arise due to hypothermia or reduced immunity.
"Nothing interesting from a medical point of view - just a cold" (Lawrence Durrell)
A healthy body should defeat infections without the help of antibiotics or other drugs. But there are cases when the defense is weakened, and this becomes the main factor increasing the risk of catching an illness.
Symptoms of a cold
Manifestations of pathologies of the respiratory system are known to everyone. Most often, nasal congestion, sore throat, sneezing, fever, tearfulness, mild pain and unmotivated fatigue become a warning sign of the onset or development of the disease. Noticing such symptoms, many people immediately begin treatment, and use medications that have dangerous side effects.
Of course, the best option is a timely consultation with a specialist. Only a qualified doctor has the right to prescribe treatment with medications.
But in most cases, patients take colds lightly and endure them on their feet. This can provoke such serious complications as bronchiolitis or croup in children. You should definitely seek medical help if your body temperature rises to 38°C or higher, you have a fever, difficulty breathing, vomiting, diarrhea, unusual drowsiness, coughing up phlegm, or swollen lymph nodes.
Treatment of respiratory diseases
If the course of the disease is not accompanied by the above symptoms, then therapeutic measures can be carried out at home. Experts recommend:
- Drink a lot. Juices, warm tea, milk - all this will help replenish fluid loss and alleviate the symptoms of the disease.
- Stay in bed. Good rest will restore your strength, and temporary isolation will prevent you from becoming a carrier of infection.
- Adjust the humidity and temperature in the room. The air should not be too dry. Do not overheat the room. It is better to use a household vaporizer or ventilate the apartment more often.
In addition to treatment with pharmacological agents (painkillers, cough syrups, nasal sprays), folk remedies have also proven themselves well. Most doctors recognize the benefits of eating foods containing vitamin C, zinc or echinacea. But we must remember that each organism is individual, and the use of alternative medicine can aggravate the problem.
Senseless and dangerous recipes for colds
According to the World Health Organization, almost 80% of people who have contracted a viral infection first turn to traditional medicine. And only after finding out that the disease is progressing, they go to see a doctor. Therefore, alternative recipes should be treated with caution.
Inhaling hot potato vapors. Many people remember how in childhood they were forced to breathe over a pot of heated root vegetables, and to enhance the effect, they had to cover their heads with a blanket. Sweat, nasal mucus, and increased coughing were considered a positive trend. There is no evidence that "steam inhalation" really helps. In medicine, such procedures are performed using special oils and special lamps.
Kerosene gargle. Oddly enough, this paradoxical recipe is still popular. This liquid kills bacteria, but, in addition, it can burn the mucous membrane of the throat, trachea, or gastrointestinal tract (if accidentally swallowed).
"We cause ourselves more torment by treating our illnesses than by enduring them" (Jean-Jacques Rousseau)
Bath or sauna. Taking a steam bath during the flu or sore throat means aggravating the problem. It is unlikely that all pathogenic bacteria and viruses will come out with sweat. Most likely, an increase in body temperature will intensify inflammatory processes. Doctors do not recommend visiting a steam room for several days even after a full recovery.
Vodka with pepper. This recipe is a source of special pride for Russians. It is believed that alcohol can kill any harmful microorganisms. But this is a myth. Studies have shown that alcoholic drinks do not bring benefits, on the contrary, they suppress the immune system.
Garlic. For some reason, this plant has acquired the reputation of defeating viruses. It is put in the nose, mouth, hung around the room or on the neck of the patient. Such actions should, at a minimum, speed up recovery. But doctors do not agree with such therapy. Moreover, they claim that garlic cannot defeat the infection.
Most folk medicine recipes are harmless, although useless. The main danger of treatment with such methods is the loss of time needed to suppress the source of the disease. Remember that any disease is easier to defeat at an early stage. If unconventional methods do not help in the first 2-3 days, then you must undergo an examination by a therapist.
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